A Sad Tale

[Djehuty]

This is a brilliant idea!

 

If attempted again, I like the idea of the publicly posted register of who has what, when, and where. Also, what about a collaborative effort? I'd be willing to chip in, if there were some sort of FPN classic-pen-and-journal loaner program.

 

[Tom Pike]

It is now April 24th.

Despite several polite mails and PMs, initially answered, more recently ignored, there is no sign of the pen.

 

 

One of the things that makes this a community is trust and goodwill between members.

 

 

We really should give this person the benefit of the doubt-- what good would calling names do, if he or she actually still reads stuff on FPN? Maybe there was some sort of an emergency.

 

R--I have a spare P51 I would be willing to donate to FPN for another try at introducing the folks who do not know the wonder of the pen to it. If you are willing, contact me back channel. There are GoodPenFolk here. One person's misbegotten actions should not deprive others of the Joy of P51...

 

Ruaidhri,

 

I'd also have to agree with Hanna. Jonro makes a really good point as well.

 

I applaud you and Bill for getting together to give this a go again. When we trust, we encourage people to do the right thing. Some idjits will take advantage of this, but most people will behave well (all Guiness aside). We materialize what we visualize. In this case, the visualization is most excellent!

 

Cheers to all four of you good people!

[Ruaidhri]

Folks,

 

Please don't take this up the wrong way

 

A couple of things I need to make clear:

• I do not intend this to be an FPN thing. The other Admins would kill me, there's enough to be done down there already
• Yes, I still have hopes of its return
• Yes, I will accept one or two "51"s, but NOT on behalf of FPN officially
• Any I receive I will treat as my own and will dispose of accordingly
• The idea of a post to keep track of travels is super and will be done
• Pens will come back to me between borrowers
• Maintenance of pens will be my responsibility alone
• I bear cost of outward postage - borrower the return
• I will scan journal/s and make these available publicly

I hope none of the above sounds like an ego trip - it is not intended as such.

Simply put I want to make it clear that anyone sending a pen is sending it to me.

This is my way of avoiding having to account for losses, breakages etc. or having unnecessary complications

And obviously I would like to point out that it is NOT an extremely clever ruse to collect free "51"s

 

Regards,

Ruaidhrí

[umenohana]

...

I will scan journal/s and make these available publicly

...

 

Ooh, that would be great!

 

-Hana

[Spongebob]

It is apalling that someone exploited your goodwill. I'm not inclined to be so forgiving or understanding in a situation where you loaned your personal property to another, expecting it to be returned. In the US this is called Conversion, when someone takes control of something belonging to another and makes it his/her own. I'm sure it's the same in the UK since it flows from the same common law.

 

You might remind the person that the pen is your personal property and you have not abandoned it and expect it returned or you will file a complaint with the authorities. Maybe that will put some sense into the person!

 

Good luck

[Richard]

Ruaidhrí, please consider having the new loaners sent to me for setup before they come to you. The original offer still stands.

[Djehuty]

Ruaidhrí, my apologies. I did not intend to pre-empt your efforts. Nor was I thinking of anything official. This is an incredibly generous plan, and an admirable one; I meant only to express support for it. Also, I thought that it would become burdensome to you if someone took advantage of it again, and I hoped that if more people were involved, the pain could be spread around and diffused to the point that it wouldn't shut down the pen-loans entirely.

 

Actually, I forgot you were an admin. The admins here aren't what I'd call heavy-handed or power-mad, so when responding to someone with an admin tag, I tend not to think, "I am speaking to an Evil Overlord and Must Behave Accordingly." And I meant "FPN loaner program" in the sense of "loaner program which is run by someone who posts on the FPN forums" rather than "Official FPN Loaner Program Controlled by the FPN Admins and Bearing the Official FPN Seal of Officialness." None of which you could know, because I never thought to say it.

 

So anyway... brilliant idea, Ruaidhrí, and very generous, and if you wish the burden to be shared, please let us know, and I'll chip in what I can.

 

[coolpenz]

I think it's great that other FPNers have respondedas they did. I'd love to be part of the journal's journey!

[DilettanteG]

Hi Ruaidhri,

 

I've got a couple of small moleskin unlined journals that I haven't started if you would like them. One is still in its plastic shroud. The second is opened and has had its sheets numbered in Noodler's Black. I have a number of others which I'm getting rid of as well. They're fancier but the postage would be pricey for a traveling journal. Just PM me and let me know where to send them.

 

-Kate, now the proud owner of two 51s despite a professed dislike of firm roundpoint nibs. They're just so smooth and comfortable! :embarrassed_smile:

Edited April 25, 2007 by DilettanteG

[JimStrutton]

-Kate, now the proud owner of two 51s despite a professed dislike of firm roundpoint nibs. They're just so smooth and comfortable! :embarrassed_smile:

 

Resistance is futile! :ph34r:

 

Further to this matter of the missing "51", the Wet Squad are on the case Bit worried about Old Griz, he is taking this Henry thing a bit seriously, spends far too much time in his workshop sharpening a damn great axe, better send that pen back whoever you are

 

Obi

[sleek_lover]

-Kate, now the proud owner of two 51s despite a professed dislike of firm roundpoint nibs. They're just so smooth and comfortable! :embarrassed_smile:

 

Resistance is futile! :ph34r:

 

Further to this matter of the missing "51", the Wet Squad are on the case Bit worried about Old Griz, he is taking this Henry thing a bit seriously, spends far too much time in his workshop sharpening a damn great axe, better send that pen back whoever you are

 

Obi

 

Jim...

the only "Henry" I know of is the HENRY rifle...like the one used in QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER...so I hope it IS a great battle axe...

 

Bill

[OldGriz]

-Kate, now the proud owner of two 51s despite a professed dislike of firm roundpoint nibs. They're just so smooth and comfortable! :embarrassed_smile:

 

Resistance is futile! :ph34r:

 

Further to this matter of the missing "51", the Wet Squad are on the case Bit worried about Old Griz, he is taking this Henry thing a bit seriously, spends far too much time in his workshop sharpening a damn great axe, better send that pen back whoever you are

 

Obi

 

Jim...

the only "Henry" I know of is the HENRY rifle...like the one used in QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER...so I hope it IS a great battle axe...

 

Bill

 

Quigley did not use a Henry rifle... he used a Sharps .... The Henry did not have the range or accuracy that the Sharps did.

 

[Ruaidhri]

Ruaidhrí, please consider having the new loaners sent to me for setup before they come to you. The original offer still stands.

 

Wow!

 

Thanks Richard - I wouldn't have had the brass neck to ask

I will do a general clean & polish etc on any that come in and send them on to you.

 

This will be great news for a few people I know (you know who you are folks )

 

Kate - thanks for the kind offer - I've sent a PM.

 

Djehuty - no need whatsoever for any apologies

 

Bill - I hope this doesn't mean we can't have any more swipes at one another

 

Everyone -

Bear in mind that something genuine may have caused all this.

 

What really stands out is that "FPN People" may have rows about guns, wars, real and imagined insults etc., but the bottom line is that they are all nice people - and the Good Guys always win in the end !

 

Thanks and warm regards,

Ruaidhrí

 

Note

 

Ernst has started on some experiments with FPN DNA which he hopes to mix with Watermans Florida Blue and a 'sanitised' form of Bubonic Plague.

He believes that introducing this into water supplies may bring world peace.

It is a nice thought, but the last time he tried something like this we incurred very severe legal costs and one of our cats still has three tails and a limp

But enough, I worry too much

[HDoug]

This is very interesting. Every since I happened on FPN, I've been wondering what this "51" thing was all about. I've been reluctant to try one out thinking that I might really like them and then acquire one or more and by doing that drive the price a notch higher. That might deprive the true 51 aficionado of joy and fulfillment. But a "loaner" program is very intriguing! I'd be willing to chip in and get my name on a list.

 

By the way, some local guys ("local" if your locale is Hawaii) created a site called ChipIn.com to take care of the mechanics of chipping in. I've used it before both to gather funds and to chip into collections and it works fine. Just an idea.

 

Doug

Edited April 25, 2007 by HDoug

[Ruaidhri]

This is very interesting. Every since I happened on FPN, I've been wondering what this "51" thing was all about. I've been reluctant to try one out thinking that I might really like them and then acquire one or more and by doing that drive the price a notch higher. That might deprive the true 51 aficionado of joy and fulfillment. But a "loaner" program is very intriguing! I'd be willing to chip in and get my name on a list.

 

By the way, some local guys ("local" if your locale is Hawaii) created a site called ChipIn.com to take care of the mechanics of chipping in. I've used it before both to gather funds and to chip into collections and it works fine. Just an idea.

 

Doug

 

Doug

 

I'll put up a post when things get moving. The people who were already waiting will naturally have to go to the top, then it's first come...

 

Thanks for the idea but for my own sanity I need to do this very informally.

The amount involved in postage is not huge and by not accepting money I don't have to worry about accounting for it

 

Thanks for the thought,

Ruaidhrí

[Ruaidhri]

I've posted separately here just to get things moving on updating 'The List' so that's the place to go if you want to join up

 

In the meantime, I'd be interested in hearing opinions on the length of stay each trip.

Originally the idea was for one month at a time plus time in the post - more? - less? - your thoughts?

 

Cheers,

R

[greencobra]

We did "passarounds" on the knife collecting forums I belonged to. First it sounds like you're paying the postage if I'm reading that right. He's how ours worked and forgive me if it's redundant with whats been said before.

 

There was a public sign up sheet. As expected, the first name got the item and included in the box was "the list" When you received the package, you stated such in the thread kept for the item being passed around. You had 1 to 2 weeks with the item (lists were sometimes long so it keep the item moving) and after your time was up, you mailed it to the next person. Putting your name on the list implied you had to play by the rules. The rules said you had to send it Priority Mail, signed confirmation, to the next person. You crossed yourself off the list, popped it in the mail, and you posted in the thread you mailed it on and to who. This way it policed itself and everyone knew where it was. No one had to be outted when things slowed down cause everyone knew where it was. In 4 years I never heard of anything getting "lost". At the end, the last person mailed it back to the originator.

 

Just some thoughts, I don't know how it was working before.

 

 

[HesNot]

Some good ideas and Ruaidhri gets bonus points for managing the process. Good Stuff!!!

[tomw]

 

Dear Ruaidhrí,

 

Gee what a splendid idea. I have only 1 51 and it is not among my favs (too wet) but I have hopes of getting it adjusted so I won't volunteer it at this point. BUT I would happly contribute a few other lesser pens (but ones that work well) to the cause (i.e., to you) if you think that would be valuable and they could be used.

 

I so love this FP community - all the best to you and the rest of the folks who amuse, impress, and interest me so much.

 

Tom Whitmore

North Carolina

[jd50ae]

........It has just occurred to me. Is this a plot by the BORG?....... :blink: